Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Helena, MT and Fremont, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Helena, MT: $3,125 a month against $3,943 in Fremont, CA, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

151

Cost of Living Index in Helena, MT
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Helena, MT Living Index
191

Cost of Living Index in Fremont, CA
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Fremont, CA Living Index

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Helena, MT

🇺🇸 United States

$3,125

/mo nomad

Fremont, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,943

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Helena, MT and in Fremont, CA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Helena, MT and in Fremont, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,125 per month in Helena, MT vs $3,943 in Fremont, CA, rent included.

Helena, MT $3,125
Fremont, CA $3,943

A couple spends around $4,583 per month in Helena, MT vs $5,575 in Fremont, CA, rent included.

Helena, MT $4,583
Fremont, CA $5,575

A family of three spends $6,041 per month in Helena, MT vs $7,207 in Fremont, CA, rent included.

Helena, MT $6,041
Fremont, CA $7,207

Helena, MT is about 21% cheaper than Fremont, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Helena, MT and Fremont, CA sit above the global median – Helena, MT by 130%, Fremont, CA by 190%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.55 $21.55

$19.75 $19.75

9.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 $109

$76.3 $76.3

42.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.11 $18.11

$12.10 $12.10

49.67%

Cappuccino

$5.24 $5.24

$5.59 $5.59

-6.26%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.64 $2.64

-16.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.35 $2.35

-26.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.96 $4.96

$8.98 $8.98

-44.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.83 $6.83

$10.08 $10.08

-32.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.55 $1.55

-32.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.34 $4.34

-10.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$4.19 $4.19

9.55%

Eggs

$3.59 $3.59

$6.39 $6.39

-43.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.05 $18.05

$19.34 $19.34

-6.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.87 $8.87

$14.28 $14.28

-37.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.02 $20.02

$17.96 $17.96

11.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$5.19 $5.19

-10.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.96 $1.96

-11.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$5.35 $5.35

-14.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$5.58 $5.58

-25.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$3.48 $3.48

-37.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$3.03 $3.03

-51.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.42 $2.42

-29.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 $1.61

$2.45 $2.45

-34.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.45 $10.45

$11.68 $11.68

-10.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.98 $12.98

$15.34 $15.34

-15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.07 $2.07

-16.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.36 $3.36

-23.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.53 $3.53

$2.95 $2.95

19.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.8 $59.8

$91.7 $91.7

-34.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.13 $10.13

$3.59 $3.59

182.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.07 $3.07

14.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.22 $44.22

$29.75 $29.75

48.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.58 $1.58

-37.97%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.4K $35.4K

$31.0K $31.0K

14.32%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$30.0K $30.0K

$27.0K $27.0K

11.16%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$375 $375

$368 $368

1.77%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$68.2 $68.2

$42.29 $42.29

61.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$83.9 $83.9

1.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 $51.6

$36.36 $36.36

42.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.28 $15.28

$8.28 $8.28

84.54%

Cinema Ticket

$12.11 $12.11

$16.54 $16.54

-26.78%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,930 $1,930

$1,838 $1,838

4.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.8K $27.8K

$40.6K $40.6K

-31.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.1 $65.1

$59.4 $59.4

9.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$120 $120

$50.5 $50.5

136.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.9 $81.9

$91.5 $91.5

-10.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 $124

$119 $119

3.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,768 $1,768

$3,004 $3,004

-41.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 $1,511

$2,291 $2,291

-34.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,837 $2,837

$4,727 $4,727

-39.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,543 $2,543

$3,780 $3,780

-32.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,528 $3,528

$10.5K $10.5K

-66.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,009 $3,009

$7,279 $7,279

-58.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,363 $6,363

$7,829 $7,829

-18.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Helena, MT: October 25, 2026

Last update for Fremont, CA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Helena, MT

$1.5K 48.4%

Fremont, CA

$2.3K 58.1% 51.6% $780

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Helena, MT

$528 16.9%

Fremont, CA

$494 12.5% 6.4% $34

Groceries & Markets

Helena, MT

$389 12.4%

Fremont, CA

$475 12% 22.2% $86

Eating Out

Helena, MT

$344 11%

Fremont, CA

$346 8.8% 0.8% $2.6

Clothing & Footwear

Helena, MT

$176 5.6%

Fremont, CA

$144 3.7% 17.8% $31

Getting Around

Helena, MT

$102 3.3%

Fremont, CA

$122 3.1% 20.4% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Helena, MT

$76 2.4%

Fremont, CA

$69 1.8% 8.5% $6.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,768 in Helena, MT versus $3,004 in Fremont, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 23% higher in Fremont, CA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $109 in Helena, MT versus $76 in Fremont, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $389 in Helena, MT vs $475 in Fremont, CA – so Helena, MT wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Helena, MT

🇺🇸 Fremont, CA

🕒 Local time

16:28 4:28 PM

15:28 3:28 PM

1 h behind Helena, MT

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

32,091

241,110

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Helena, MT Fremont, CA 1,300 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Helena, MT
Fremont, CA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Helena, MT vs Fremont, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Fremont, CA is pricier by about 26%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,688 per month in Helena, MT and $5,914 in Fremont, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Helena, MT, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,768 there versus $3,004 in Fremont, CA.

Public transport costs about 35% less in Helena, MT. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,930 per month in Helena, MT and $1,838 in Fremont, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,125 in Helena, MT and $3,943 in Fremont, CA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Fremont, CA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,125 in Helena, MT to $3,943 in Fremont, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Helena, MT. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fremont, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.